Watch it
by Vanille Strawberry
Summary: The Prince winced as her eyes suddenly settled on him like an icy wind. One-shot. Zuko related Kataang!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. I have a credit card though**...** maybe I could buy it...**

A/N: I sincerely want to thank my beta-reader, TTAvatarfan for helping me with this. She's just great! I hope you like this, I worked really hard on it.

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Watch It

Her head turned towards the rustling of bushes and she shifted into a protective stance, relaxing a little as Zuko revealed himself to her arms held out in a peaceful gesture. Katara did not return him the smile he offered as she sat back down.

"Hey." he greeted cautiously.

Katara merely gave an acknowledging nod and returned her gaze to wander about the mountaintops. The Eastern Air temple never ceased to astound her with its picturesque surroundings. Aang had shown her this spot the day before, stating that it was the best vantage point. Katara decided he was right.

She heard Zuko sit next to her hesitantly, joining in a silent vigil that Katara did not herself know why she was keeping.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked finally, having seen enough of the landscape for his taste.

"Fine." Katara grunted shifting her attention to him for the first time in days. He had dark bags under his eyes and his complexion seemed a little paler

"You?"

He was surprised and honestly, Katara was too the moment the word left her lips. Since when had she ever been concerned about Zuko's well being?

"Good. Tired… but good." he said laughingly keeping a weary eye on her for any changes in her facial expression.

She changed the subject fiddling with a necklace in her hands that suspiciously looked like the one Zuko had remembered using to track Aang down months prior. The Prince winced as her eyes suddenly settled on him like an icy wind.

"How's Aang's training going?"

"Fine. He's a very quick learner but he's too timid to make any large fire." Zuko said a hint of a frown lingering on his face, "With a bit of time and patience he'll get it."

Katara nodded absentmindedly her memories projecting her a few months back to the first time Aang had fire bended in her presence. She grimaced remembering the stinging pain, but mostly she remembered the look of absolute horror on the Avatar's face.

"He really loves you," Zuko stated suddenly.

Katara opened her eyes to stare curiously at the Fire nation Prince. He was smiling at her and it looked out of place on his face, like it didn't really belong there. She would have to teach him how to smile without being creepy.

"Huh?"

"Aang," Zuko amended, "He loves you."

Katara gave a sour smile and brought her knees up to her chest. "I'd like to believe you," she muttered. "But you're a lying jerk."

Zuko gave a dry laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I'm not lying about this, though."

"I love him too, so much." Katara murmured to no one in particular. Maybe was she addressing the air? "But right now he has to concentrate on his destiny and the world. He can't be worrying about me the whole time."

Zuko laughed, a loud uproar breaking through the stillness of the air and mountains. Katara stared at him in half shock, half irritation.

"Why are you laughing!?" she demanded.

Holding out a hand to ease the water bender's fury, Zuko straightened up letting out a slow breath. He forced out another chuckle and wiped a tear of mirth from his eye.

"You're a tad too late on that."

"What are you talking about?" Katara asked crossing her arms atop her knees. At this point, any patience she could have harboured for Zuko had evaporated on the spot.

"He already worries about you. Before fire bending practice he makes sure you're on the other side of the temple. If you're out on your own he sends the flying rat-"

"His name is Momo." She seethed quietly flashing another colourful glare in his direction.

"Momo, right. Anyway, he even has nightmares about you! If that's not worrying then I don't know what is."

Katara gave the Prince a sidelong glance hugging her knees closer to her chest. "He has nightmares about me?" she asked meekly. The thought of blood bending flashed through her mind making her shudder. Even Aang was afraid of her.

"Not about you really." said Zuko "About my dad mostly… but in his dream… I think my father is attacking you and Aang feels powerless."

Katara looked sadly out over the valley breathing in the scent of lilies, which hung on the air. She and Aang told each other everything. Their hopes, dreams, fears... nightmares. She felt like a lousy friend. Why had she not noticed how tired and agitated he looked? It occurred to Katara that they had not talked alone since the Invasion.

"I'm not really good at this sentimental thing, but even I know you should tell him how you feel?" The fire bender gave a weak grin.

Katara huffed, "I don't know if you've noticed Zuko but I don't care much for you. Heck, I could even say I hate you. I've got to hand it to you though. You've got some good suggestions."

"Thanks," she cut him off after a moment of silence, lacing her own fingers together.

"You've come so close to capturing Aang, and your deranged sister went and killed him," the water bender's voice was low but it rung all too well through Zuko's ears. "You helped her take away the most precious thing in my life and I'm warning you that's something I will never forget. So just watch it and make sure you don't hurt my Aang."

A teasing smirk somehow found its way on Zuko's face, "_Your _Aang, huh?" his eyes widened and he ducked, a water whip missing the initial target which had been his head.

"_I said watch it!" _


End file.
